Which of the following is NOT among the six types of family characteristics frequently assessed in clinical evaluations of families?

• A. Family structure and composition
• B. Family authority
• C. Family process
• D. Relationship patterns

Answer: (B)

In clinical family assessments, professionals look at how a family is organized and how it operates across several broad domains. These typically include who is in the family and how it’s structured, how responsibilities and roles are distributed, how daily tasks and problem-solving are managed (the family process), the patterns of relationships and attachments among members, and how information flows and boundaries are maintained (communication and boundaries).

Authority isn’t usually listed as its own separate domain. Instead, power, decision-making, and leadership are examined within the broader areas of family roles and family process. So the characteristic that focuses specifically on who holds power or makes decisions isn’t treated as a distinct category in the common six-area framework, which is why it’s not included. The other dimensions—structure and composition, roles, process, and relationship/communication patterns—fit the standard framework more directly.